While i havent been craving a drink, i very much

While i havent been craving a drink, i very much feel myself slipping into an unhealthy mindset. I have been tired, negative, isolating, lazy-ish, bingeing tv and eating too much junk. All of these things make me feel icky. I miss the positive active mindset i was in last year. And i am not really loving the “do it anyways” mindset. Do i need depression meds or something?! Just feeling in a slump.

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What's going on that has you falling back to some unhealthy habits? Stress from work? Recovery burnout? Ask these questions and look into the why. From there what are things you can do about it? What are the things to enjoy that fill you with joy and excitement?

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Not a doctor, but depression meds usually make me worse in a weird indifferent way.
What were you doing when you felt really good?
Maybe do more of that but a little different.
I’ve been through ups and downs in my 16 years of sobriety. The crappy times pass. They pass faster when I do service work, meditation and prayer for others, not me.
I’m here if you want to talk

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The meds question: only a doctor can really answer that, but here’s what I know.. depression meds help many function again, and still very much in recovery. If you think you might have clinical depression, it’s worth talking to someone. But if this is burnout/PAWS, sometimes it’s about changing up what you’re doing rather than medicating.
Q: what was different last year when you felt better? Were you doing something you’ve stopped, or are you doing something new that’s draining you? Introspection helps. It could be you just need some time away, self-care or visit nature for a bit. Give yourself grace these valleys happen and they are meant to make you stronger when you get through them :heart:

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You ARE in relapse! Ask for help.

Have you called your sponsor?
Have you been to an in-person meeting daily?
Have you read the first 164 pages of the Big Book?
Have you thoroughly worked ALL 12 steps with a sponsor?

IF….. you answered no to all or any of those questions, you’ve got some work to do. Long term sobriety is available to each of us IF we do the work.
Don’t walk but run to st least an AA meeting daily. Get into the solution which is the 12 steps.
Best wishes :pray::peace_symbol:

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Honestly, a lot has changed in the last year. I lost my 13 year old dog, got a puppy that wore me out, rehomed the puppy, got a new older dog with some behavior issues. I found out I have hypothyroidism and started some new meds that kind of help. Burnout from teaching. Health insurance costs went up, so cut back on a lot of the fun things I did that cost money. As a result, less time in nature, less running, less community. I feel so guilty leaving my dog alone longer, but I can’t take him with me until his training gets better. Somewhere, my whole life shifted into this dark void. I try to go to meetings weekly. Definitely not prioritizing my physical and mental health. It’s like I KNOW what would help but have zero motivation to do them.

Gym?

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I don’t agree that this is a relapse. I do however think I need to be doing more work to get my head straight. Definitely have some work to do.

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Yeah, that’s been on my mind. Or at least the activities that get me moving and happy outside.

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I have felt similarly in the past about meds. I would rather do this naturally and spiritually… just gotta do it. It works if you work it, right?

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There is a lot. Stress from work, training a new dog, missing my old one, exercise and recovery burnout, new health probs, but there are definitely more things I can do. I just need to do them. Ya know, that whole “it works if you work it” thing.

I’ve felt similar lately and I’m 4 years sober
I’ve been in a funk lately and I’m on meds

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Thank you for sharing. It helps to know we are not alone, but I am sorry you are feeling this way, too. I have 5.5 years of sobriety and used to struggle with depression a lot before I got sober. I think I need to just build more sober community, but sometimes that’s hard to do when my alter ego, Jezebel, just want to hole up at home binge watching Love is Blind and chomping on Oreos. Not cool, Jezebel, not cool.

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I am the same! I rather stay in and read on my kindle

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I am sorry you are feeling down.
Recognizing how you feel and asking questions is awesome.
I posted something similar in some other threads.
For me to avoid going on a downward spiraling mindset, I have to maintain my routines. It starts my morning better.
To maintain where I am, I prioritize service when possible.
I read about an old custom where people who felt they were getting depressed were asked to do 14 days of service.
I read it takes 14 days to break an old habit or change the way we automatically do some things.
Maybe the same is true of changing your minds trajectory and perspective?
Meds may also help, but that's not an area of expertise. I am not a doctor.

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Right👍. I got into some really dark times. I was screaming at God and feeling homicidal & suicidal for a bit. I really leaned into my program. I know meditation was my key to freedom. It wasn’t easy at first. But I’m so glad I didn’t try to take the easy way out.
I’m here if you want to talk

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Yes! Its really helped me! If it seems overwhelming, a nice walk or long bike ride is awesome as well!

What are things you can prioritize, delegate, or pull back from if even for just a moment? Recovery burnout is a real thing and I'm sorry to hear about your old dog.

Jolene, thank you for modeling what we should do when faced with a problem. Share it. Talk about it let everyone give opinions. Don’t argue. Just take what you like and leave the rest. If it doesn’t apply, let it fly. These are all the opposite of what I’ve always done with my problems. I am good at denying them. Keeping them hidden. Being unwilling to hear what others have to say. Acting as if I am somehow above the solutions offered. Taking things personally and reacting to feedback as if everyone is trying to sabotage me! No wonder life was so hard!